Pike Electric Corp fka PIKE

[SeriousMoney]

Pike Electric Mobilizes Crews for Hurricane Rita Restoration Effort
<PR, 9/26/05>
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050926/nym073.html?.v=22

MOUNT AIRY, N.C., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pike Electric Corporation (NYSE: PEC - News), one of the nation's largest providers of outsourced electric distribution and transmission services, today announced that approximately 1,500 Pike Electric crew members, supervisors and support staff from 18 states are involved in the Hurricane Rita restoration efforts at this time. Rita made landfall early Saturday morning as a strong category 3 hurricane which pounded the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. Although many crews were released from the Hurricane Katrina restorations less than a week ago, approximately 300 Pike personnel were continuing restoration efforts in the Gulf region prior to Rita's landfall.

Although some initial reports indicate damage left by Rita is not as widespread as Katrina, outage reports continue to rise as utilities evaluate the overall damage to their systems. It is likely that more crews will be mobilized next week and restoration efforts could last up to several more weeks with this latest storm.

Pike's storm center has not closed since August 24th and will remain open 24/7 until restoration efforts are completed and Pike line crews have returned home, many of which have already served on Tropical Storm Cindy, Hurricane Dennis as well as Hurricane Katrina during this year's hurricane season alone.

About Pike Electric

Pike Electric Corporation is one of the largest providers of outsourced electric distribution and transmission services in the United States. Its core activities consist of the maintenance, upgrade and extension of electric distribution and sub-500 kilovolt transmission powerlines for more than 150 electric utilities, cooperatives and municipalities. Pike Electric Corporation services a contiguous 19-state region that stretches from Pennsylvania in the north to Florida in the southeast and Texas in the southwest and is a recognized leader in storm restoration services. The company's stock is quoted on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PEC. For further information regarding Pike Electric, visit the company's website at www.pike.com.